The hypothetical trades involving Kevin Durant were fun while they lasted. Phoenix Suns’ owner, Mat Ishbia, took to social media to dispel any trade rumor circulating surrounding the Suns’ superstar.
Ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft, Ishbia took to X to take a post in which he was extremely transparent about the Suns’ direction going forward for next season.
“NBA Draft night is the best. Everyone talking about the drama and storylines, some are right and some are just wrong. My turn. Phoenix loves Kevin Durant and Kevin Durant loves Phoenix, and we are competing for a championship this year because we have the team to do it. Gotta love draft night! Go Suns.” – Mat Ishbia
Over the past 24 hours, the Suns have been a talking point as there has been reported interest from the Houston Rockets, that they were preparing a trade offer for Durant. The Rockets recently made a trade with the Brooklyn Nets to acquire a 2025 pick swap and a 2027 unprotected first-round pick, which was sent to the Nets in Phoenix’s deal for Durant in 2022.
Houston sought to use that draft pick as a bargaining chip. In that instance, when the Suns shifted their attention to a rebuild, they could fully commit to it, knowing they had their draft pick. However, Ishbia’s comments supposedly dispelled any rumors that the Suns would depart from the NBA legend and that they are gearing up for a deep postseason run.
Nothing is Set in Stone for the Suns’ Future
Despite Ishbia’s comments, there’s no certainty that this core will last long-term
One thing that the NBA has shown is that it is ever-changing. The Nets big three of Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden didn’t even last 82 games. Situations within an NBA franchise can change very quickly.
There have also been instances throughout NBA history that front office personnel have gone back on their word. In 2018, Toronto Raptors front office personnel, Masai Ujiri, met with Demar DeRozan in the offseason and promised him that he wouldn’t be traded. Shortly after, he pulled the trigger on the infamous Kawhi Leonard trade, which led to an NBA championship.
Sometimes there are hard decisions that need to be made, and the Suns haven’t shown that this core is capable of winning games when it matters most. The Suns’ elimination from the 2024 NBA Playoffs was one of the most embarrassing performances of any team, as they found themselves getting swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Despite having Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal on the same team, the Suns surprisingly were one of the worst-performing teams in crunch time.
The Suns are also handicapped financially by the NBA’s implementation of the second apron of the salary cap. The saving grace that Phoenix can hold onto is the fact that Beal played just 53 games in his first season with the Suns and averaged the lowest points total, at 18.2, since his fourth season in the NBA. A healthy Beal could potentially be the player the Suns expected him to be when they traded for him.
Although it seems that Durant is safe for now, there is still uncertainty about what is brewing in the Valley. The NBA Draft may be very telling about what’s to come for the future of the Phoenix Suns.